So Who Does Bayley Face at Mania?

[CMWaters]

All right, let's unpack this for a bit.

Leading up to the Rumble, Bayley has said when she wins, she was gonna challenge Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania, even with the teases for Nia and Becky in the lead up.

There is also the weird interactions that she's having with the rest of Damage CTRL at the moment (mostly ignored high five attempts and such), questioning if they're gonna stay together.

With the Rhea option, I would think you would need to tighten up any unity with Damage CTRL again for the time being (at least until after Mania), have them be the group to give threat to Rhea. Before she was messing with guys who in the PG era WWE wouldn't fight back on her. Damage CTRL would have no such restrictions...and hell, it could be a surprise twist that this leads to Rhea breaking from Judgment Day for a face turn (since she's the only one of the group relatively regularly cheered anyway). It would leave a question of what to do with someone like Becky Lynch and others though.

The flip side is the seemingly more obvious choice of something happening forcing Bayley to challenge Iyo for the title, most likely with an ousting from the group she helped create and looking for revenge. A view there though is it could be seen as (with no offense to the talent) a "lesser" option for Bayley compared to any notoriety from facing Rhea, and despite cheers if Bayley can work as a new style face character different from her old hugger one.

Mostly just wanted to bring this up because on Twitter Bayley and Rhea had a bit of a back and forth teasing an Iron Woman match (since Bayley beat Rhea's Rumble Iron Woman Record) so for the moment it seems they are going with the Rhea option, despite many of us thinking pre-Rumble her facing Iyo was more likely.

...or do they swerve us completely and the winner of Lyra/Roxanne on Saturday is the true match we're getting? Or something else?

[clc]

I hope they do Bayley vs Rhea. I want to see Bayley's plan come true! Damage CTRL is more fun when they are friends.

I also think that Bayley vs Rhea and IYO vs Becky would each respectively be much better matches than the popular idea of Rhea/Becky and Bayley/IYO .

[fw91]

Iyo, last night's press conference set up the face turn. I think how it plays out is that Bayley slowly starts demonstrating face tendencies, to the annoyance of Damage control. They jump her and kick her out. Bayley then challenges Iyo at mania. Cue the Whacky Inflatable Arm Flailing Bayley buddies"

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

She's facing Iyo. The only question is does the crowd treat this like the Batista/Evolution split (massive support for Dave) or the Orton/Evolution split (lukewarm support because they still see Orton as kind of unlikable). I think they need to do an angle that makes it clear that Bayley is a good person and friend at heart so that it doesn't just seem like heels on turning on another heel.

[Friday Night SmackOwn]

Jan 28, 2024 16:11:59 GMT -5 fw91 said:

Iyo, last night's press conference set up the face turn. I think how it plays out is that Bayley slowly starts demonstrating face tendencies, to the annoyance of Damage control. They jump her and kick her out. Bayley then challenges Iyo at mania. Cue the Whacky Inflatable Arm Flailing Bayley buddies"

Obviously, had Sasha been available, the path to Bayley teaming up with her to fight DC would be there, but Bayley’s face turn can still work with her solo against Damage CTRL.

[fw91]

Jan 28, 2024 16:14:56 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

She's facing Iyo. The only question is does the crowd treat this like the Batista/Evolution split (massive support for Dave) or the Orton/Evolution split (lukewarm support because they still see Orton as kind of unlikable). I think they need to do an angle that makes it clear that Bayley is a good person and friend at heart so that it doesn't just seem like heels on turning on another heel.

The crowd was with her yesterday for sure. I think it's time. It's been what 5 years since her heel turn? Hugger Bayley done right will be a huge merch seller.

[BorneAgain]

Jan 28, 2024 16:15:27 GMT -5 Friday Night SmackOwn said:

Jan 28, 2024 16:11:59 GMT -5 fw91 said:

Iyo, last night's press conference set up the face turn. I think how it plays out is that Bayley slowly starts demonstrating face tendencies, to the annoyance of Damage control. They jump her and kick her out. Bayley then challenges Iyo at mania. Cue the Whacky Inflatable Arm Flailing Bayley buddies"

Obviously, had Sasha been available, the path to Bayley teaming up with her to fight DC would be there, but Bayley’s face turn can still work with her solo against Damage CTRL.

Given that Naomi was cited in the press conference by Bayley as someone she was happy to see back, there's an obvious potential partner right there.

[gl83]

Jan 28, 2024 16:15:27 GMT -5 Friday Night SmackOwn said:

Jan 28, 2024 16:11:59 GMT -5 fw91 said:

Iyo, last night's press conference set up the face turn. I think how it plays out is that Bayley slowly starts demonstrating face tendencies, to the annoyance of Damage control. They jump her and kick her out. Bayley then challenges Iyo at mania. Cue the Whacky Inflatable Arm Flailing Bayley buddies"

Obviously, had Sasha been available, the path to Bayley teaming up with her to fight DC would be there, but Bayley’s face turn can still work with her solo against Damage CTRL.

It would be kinda difficult though since it will in essence be 4-on-1 odds against Bayley and Bayley has pretty much antagonized and treated like crap every woman on both the Raw and Smackdown rosters. I mentioned it in another thread, but they went about this Face turn in an odd way with IYO winning and retaining her title clean against Michin with no outside interference; the Kabuki Warriors winning the tag titles clean with no outside interference, meanwhile a few weeks ago they had Bayley upset at her Damage Ctrl teammates for not helping her cheat more to beat Bianca Belair.

[welshpenguin]

It has to be Iyo & it’s going to be great (I hope)

[XIII]

Iyo makes the most sense.

I’d imagine that Rhea will get a multi person match

[Stu]

The main story coming out of the Rumble as far as Wrestlemania matches is Bayley and Damage Control.

Second would be Jade and Bianca.

Third could theoretically be Liv Morgan and some big moment.

A distant fourth would be Rhea and whatever Becky is doing.

[sdoyle7798]

If Becky turns face with DC beating her down, I think it needs to be an aggresive beatdown, similar to the one she gave Sasha.

She's done so much shit since going heel, that's the only way I see her getting believable sympathy.

[HIM]

Iyo losing that belt.

This story's been about Damage CTRL having titles and being sorta "standoffish" with Bayley and even last night she and Asuka weren't completely on the same wave length, like they had spots where it was just mishmash between them. It's clearly setting us up for the "Batista/Triple H" thing and Bayley's taking that title. With that said, I fully expect Dakota to rise up and eventually beat her for the belt.

But yeah, Iyo is outta here.

[Deleted]

I hope it is Rhea because to me 1 it is far more intriguiging and quite frankly BETTER for everyone involved in Dmg Cntrl if they fulfil their ultimate goal and would be a very unique accomplishment for them as a group.

And also this easily can feed into Rhea turning babyface which alot of people have been clammoring for more than Bayley and I have said but it is far more fitting to end Dmg Cntrl at Summerslam since that has become their show and it would be ultimate full circle storytelling.


22 - The Arrival

23 - The Cash in

24 - The End

I have also said this...WHY would any Dmg Cntrl suddenly turn on her now? they really have no reason to ...unless she swerves them than ok but that feeds into another issue how is that a babyface turn for Bayley? she has done nothing unlike say Jey Uso who had done quite a bit with Sami prior to his full blown turn , so her suddenly choosing IYO would feel less like an earned story moment and more it was just the most obvious thing to do.

[ace]

Bayley is goin to get the Bullet Club goodbye from the rest of that group and beat Io at Mania

[Error]

Got to be Iyo.

Go the Batista route. Have Dakota and the rest push her toward Rhea and Bayley catch them shit talking her. Contact signing time she can fake signing the Raw contact and play the video of her over hearing their conversation, then sign the Smackdown one. Have DMGCTRL beat her down and Bayley spend the next few weeks taking them out one by one until only Iyo is left.

[Stu]

Damage Control vs Judgment Day with R-Truth tomfoolery. Book it!

[john84]

Assuming they go with long-term storyline telling than I think it has to be Iyo Sky. If not Iyo than Bianca if Bianca takes the belt of Sky before Mania.

[mistery]

I feel like it's gonna be Iyo/Bayley at Mania, but I feel like Iyo is gonna go over at Mania itself as well. Iyo's stuff has proven to be a very strong ratings draw, and Bayley has been pretty open about how she wants to get her girls (Damage CTRL) over as much as possible. So I wouldn't be shocked if she pushes to lose at Mania to Iyo.

You also have to remember that even if Bayley wins, Iyo has nowhere to go afterwards except down, and would likely cool off. Where if Bayley loses, she can easily be drafted to RAW to feud with Rhea for the title there (because I don't think Rhea is losing at Mania either).

[Lizuka #BLM]

Jan 28, 2024 17:58:37 GMT -5 mistery said:

I feel like it's gonna be Iyo/Bayley at Mania, but I feel like Iyo is gonna go over at Mania itself as well. Iyo's stuff has proven to be a very strong ratings draw, and Bayley has been pretty open about how she wants to get her girls (Damage CTRL) over as much as possible. So I wouldn't be shocked if she pushes to lose at Mania to Iyo.

You also have to remember that even if Bayley wins, Iyo has nowhere to go afterwards except down, and would likely cool off. Where if Bayley loses, she can easily be drafted to RAW to feud with Rhea for the title there (because I don't think Rhea is losing at Mania either).

Plus Bayley's story isn't really about becoming champion, she's been there and done that. Her whole thing is wanting a singles Mania match and she's got that win or lose.